Umbrella
by Moopachoo
Summary: [Songfic, drabble] Sometimes comfort comes from the thing you miss most. In the aftermath, he looks up at the clouds. [ZackCloud if you squint. a lot.]


_When the sun shines we'll shine together  
__Told you I'll be here forever  
__Said I'll always be your friend  
__Took an oath, I'll stick it out 'til the end  
__Now that it's raining more than ever know that we'll still have each other  
__You can stand under my umbrella  
__  
-Scott Simons, Umbrella (Original by Rihanna)_

-----

A hand reaches out, takes another. United briefly through that one small touch, a gentle squeeze, then the bond is broken as both hands drop to their respective owner's sides.

One of them sighs quietly, the other frowning and placing a hand softly on the smaller's shoulder.

"Is it really all over?"

"Looks like it."

"…It doesn't feel real."

"I know."

Another moment of silence passes, rain dripping down the clear walls of the bus stop. Thunder rolls through their bodies, rumbling softly in the distance.

"It isn't real, is it?"

"Depends what you mean by 'it'."

"This… all this, right here."

"I guess you could say that."

Bright blue eyes glint in the streetlamp's light, glancing over at the other. Dark hair spilling over the broad shoulders, pieces hanging in front of the silvery eyes. A smile slips slowly onto the tanned face as he looks over, meeting the smaller blonde's gaze.

"But it is over, for real."

"But if you're here… am I dead?"

"No, no, I'm just a manifestation of something that'll help you cope with everything."

"…"

"Hey, don't look like that. Come on, you're supposed to be happy."

"I know. It's all over; everything's fixed… as far as I know, anyways. I'm just… why here? Why did my mind choose this rainy dump instead of like, a field of flowers or something?"

"You know who you'd find there."

"Yeah. I do. But don't avoid the question."

"Look around, kid. You don't remember?"

"I got beat up here once."

"And I saved you."

"Oh. That. I guess that kind of explains it."

A smile crosses the taller one's face again as he shifts to lean back against the glass.

"You didn't want to go to the field of flowers, kiddo."

"No… probably not."

"You couldn't face her."

"Shut up, I know."

"But you're here now, you're seeing me again. And I'll be seeing her later. Any messages I can deliver for you?"

A half-hearted glare is sent at the taller man before blue eyes slide back to rest their gaze on the puddles overtaking his feet.

"So, what now?"

"I guess… you stay here until you decide you can go back. And I just stay with you."

"Like old times…"

"Yeah, like old times."

Several more moments pass in silence, the rain letting up slightly. A crack of sunlight appears through the clouds.

"The sun…"

"Mm, that means you're almost ready."

"I don't really want to leave."

"Did you miss me?"

A sharp punch to the shoulder is delivered from the smaller.

"Of course I did, stupid. You were pretty much the only thing that helped me through the worst times of my life."

A quiet laugh from the taller as he rubs his arm in mock-disdain.

"I missed you too."

"If you're a figment of my imagination, how could you have missed me?"

Another smile.

"I never said I was a figment. I'm a manifestation. I'm as real as you believe me to be."

"Oh."

More silence. The clouds start to break up further, the rain drizzling down quietly now.

"Come on."

"What? Where?"

The taller gets up - picking up an umbrella that the blonde hadn't noticed before - and walks out of the bus stop prison that had until then been inescapable. The smaller stands and follows cautiously, half-expecting to run into an invisible pane of glass as he tries to walk out.

"You can stand under my umbrella, Cloud."

He looks up sharply, not expecting his name to be said out loud. It seemed like he had forgotten his name for a while, and now remembered it.

"That song sucks."

A nervous laugh from the taller, twirling the open umbrella around in his hands.

"I've heard better versions of it, you know. Plus the lyrics are good, yeah?"

"Shut up."

The blonde walks forward, still cautious, and steps under the offered umbrella.

"We're friends, aren't we?"

The smaller boy looks up at his tanned companion, tears forming in his eyes. He blinks them back embarrassedly.

"You… you said that before…"

"Yeah… but we are, right?"

"Of course."

The dark-haired man smiles down at him sadly.

"The rain is stopping. The sun is shining. Just like that day, right? You'll have to go back soon."

"I don't want to leave…"

"Don't say that. Your friends are going nuts trying to figure out why you haven't woken up yet."

"Then… should I go now?"

"Yeah, you should."

"…"

"Go on. You'll be fine. I promise."

"I guess you've never really broken a promise to me before, have you?"

"Never. Well, disregarding certain unfixable factors."

The smaller smiles softly.

"I'm going now."

"Okay."

"I'll see you later, maybe."

"Live long, okay? Live your life as best you can."

"I will… Hey, can you tell her… tell her I'm sorry, and I miss her?"

"Of course. But she's not going to like you saying sorry for nothing."

"Whatever… just tell her."

"Okay. I'll see you around."

"Bye."

Another meeting of their hands, a gentle squeeze, and the sun comes out.


End file.
